Biffle’s Busch Win Is a Prowess Report

Greg Biffle and his Roush Racing team again showed their prowess at California Speedway by winning the Stater Bros. 300 Busch Series race Saturday.

The native of Vancouver, Wash., started third and drove a patient race in his Ford while teammate Carl Edwards, Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman had a lengthy battle for the lead.

Biffle then went to the front after a caution flag with nine laps left in the 150-lap event on the two-mile track, and never relinquished the lead, winning by 2.3 seconds over Newman.

During the same caution period, Edwards decided to pit for four new tires in hopes of catching Biffle. He fell just short, finishing third behind Newman’s Dodge.

Biffle said his crew had steadily adjusted the handling of his car as he climbed closer to the lead.

“Then the caution came out, and it was all history,” he said.

It was Biffle’s third Busch victory at California Speedway. He won both of the series’ races here in 2004.

Biffle also won the Nextel Cup race in Fontana a year ago, and he’s starting on the front row in today’s Auto Club 500 Cup race after qualifying second behind pole sitter Kurt Busch.

“Greg was awesome today, as he always is in California,” said team owner Jack Roush.

When the late caution came out, Edwards said he “wasn’t too sure what to do, but I didn’t think I could win” with old tires. Even with the fresh rubber, “we didn’t have enough laps to get back up there,” he said.

Defending Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart, winner of the opening Busch Series race at Daytona International Speedway a week ago, did not compete Saturday.

There were 23 lead changes among 10 drivers, four caution periods and the average race speed was 147.501 mph.